Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1887-10-20

with great gusto hin '.spnyio,,s y
Madeira.
Choquart died in poverty. For
over twenty years he had live.l on q
small pension granted him by the
Comte de Chambord. Whom, how
over. he received five hundred francs.
his wont was to give his friends sup
per which cost the same sum, 50 that
on certain days of the year he went
supperless to bed. Still, he was ex-
tremely punctilious In money matters.
Another chapter will throw light on
this side Of his character.
Several years ago, we were supping.
after midnight. at the Vaudeville cof-
fee-house. Among those present were
Bouffc. tho lessee and manager Of the
Vaudeville Theatcr; Briffaut the Jour
nalist; DR.. Lallcmand. who was the
proprietor Of the Passage Radziwill;
an old notary Of tho name of Dubois:
Armand Marrast then a writer on the
staff Of the Tribune; an old sheriff's
officer, called Mouton. and Choquart
The latter had. As usual, grown ten.
der over the fate of the Princes belong.
ing to the elder line; and Mouton. the
sheriff's officer. whose political SYM
pathies inclined toward the Republic,
went so far As to say that Charles X.
was an old idiot. At this. Choquart,
pale with rage, rose from his seat, and
said to Mouton:
81 have taken an oath to slap the
face of any man who insults my
King. shall now, therefore, slap
yours.
The situation was exceedingly grave,
and every body felt dreadfully uncom-
Portable. Choquart suddenly stopped
short, and said:
''Dear me! owe Mouton louis,
and can not strike him without first
reimbursing the money. 1t would be
ungentlemanly in me to act otherwise.
Briffaut. lend me a louis, will you, that
l may slap Mouton's face?'
Il have no change" answered Brit
fault
':Bouffe. quick. lend me louis. that
I may cuff Mouton's earsr'
my dear Choquart, " replied Bouffe,
Il shall be only too happy to lend you
four times the amount outside of this
place. but can not lend you louis
for the purpose you mention"
At that moment entered the coffee
house.
"Ah! here comes Vllemot," ex-
claimed Choquart, and bounding to-
ward me he said. hurriedly: LEND
me louis. Quick! 1 want to box
Mouton's ears, and dclicacy requires
that should first give back the louis
owe him.
I was at loss to make out what he
meant.
Don't lend it, don't lend itr' cried
out those who were present.
At that time of life, especially. had
a strong reluctance to lend a louis, so
I drew back.
The most amusing part of the story
is that BOuffe persuaded Mouton to
believe that he was no longer in safety.
IA louis. you see, is no large sum-"
said Bouffe; "Choquart is bound to
have a spare one some day. and he
will carry out his threat. If 1 were
you should lend him twenty louis;
he'll never be able to give back so large
a sum. and You are safe for the rest OF
your life."
So. after supper. Mouton offered to
lend Choquart twenty louis, who was
at the proposal. He saw
the danger. but danger had special at
traction for him. He pocketed the
gold pieces, and said to Mouton as he
did so:
''Never mind; we are not quits yet.
The first time l receive my pension
you shall get your ears boxed all the
same"
Choquart. however, was never able
to command so fabulous sum as
twenty louis at any one time, nor to
wreak righteous vengeance on the Of
fender who had insulted and slandered
his King.-Boston Courier Translation
from the French Of Amguste Villensot.